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Ubisoft Urges Comparing Assassin's Creed Shadows' Launch to Origins, Odyssey, Mirage, Not Valhalla

by Lucas May 03,2025

The release of Assassin's Creed Shadows carries immense significance for Ubisoft, especially following the setbacks experienced with the delays and sales disappointment of Star Wars Outlaws last year. Ubisoft has faced a series of challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows. Amidst these difficulties, the founding Guillemot family is reportedly engaging in discussions with Tencent and other potential investors to explore a buyout that would allow them to maintain control over the company's intellectual property.

As a result, the gaming industry is keenly observing the initial performance of Assassin's Creed Shadows to gauge its success or failure. While Ubisoft has not disclosed specific sales numbers, they reported that the game reached 2 million players within just two days of its launch, outperforming the initial launches of both Origins and Odyssey.

The game's performance on Steam is also under scrutiny, with Shadows achieving a peak of 64,825 concurrent players over the weekend, setting a new record for the series on the platform. This marks the first time an Assassin's Creed title has launched on Steam on day one. In comparison, Dragon Age: The Veilguard reached a peak of 89,418 players on Steam.

Without Ubisoft's specific expectations, it's challenging to determine if Shadows is meeting or exceeding them. However, insights from an internal email reviewed by IGN shed light on the game's initial weekend performance. Shadows achieved the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise's history, only surpassed by Valhalla in 2020, which benefited from the unique circumstances of the global pandemic and the launch of new console generations.

Shadows also set a record for Ubisoft's best day-one launch on the PlayStation Store, indicating strong performance on the PS5. On the PC front, 27% of the game's total activations were on this platform, with Steam playing a significant role. Ubisoft has highlighted the decision to return to Steam as validated by these early results.

Ubisoft emphasizes high player engagement at "record levels" and positive feedback from moderated, verified platforms, which are less susceptible to review bombing. Shadows was the most-wishlisted Ubisoft game ever and is outperforming all previous Assassin's Creed titles on Twitch, including Valhalla.

Ubisoft's internal communications contextualize the comparisons between Shadows and other franchise entries. While Shadows did not match Valhalla's launch performance, Ubisoft notes that Valhalla benefited from a "perfect storm" of circumstances that may not be repeatable. They suggest more meaningful comparisons to games like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage, where Shadows sets a new benchmark.

It's important to consider that Shadows was released in March, outside the typical pre-Thanksgiving launch window, and without an early access period. Additionally, Ubisoft's subscription service now available on Xbox complicates direct sales comparisons.

Ultimately, the financial success of Assassin's Creed Shadows will be pivotal not only for the game itself but for Ubisoft's future. A clearer picture of its impact will likely emerge with Ubisoft's upcoming financial report.

For those exploring the world of feudal Japan in Assassin's Creed Shadows, our comprehensive guide, including a detailed walkthrough and interactive map, is available to enhance your gaming experience.